Alive
by Silver Medals
Summary: "I've never felt so alive." -Annie and Finnick, an AU. For two Caesar's Palace Challenges-


**The fluffiest piece of fluff I've ever written. AU Odesta, for Estoma, for her "Sex on the Beach" Challenge at Caesar's Palace forum. Also for the Caesar's Palace Monthly Challenge.**

_The first night they met they made out by the water- _**i**

"Oh, I'm so sorry, it was all my fault, I didn't mean-" He apologizes humbly, words spilling from his mouth.

"Oh, gosh, no, I'm fine," she says, collecting her things from the grass. She gazes at the boy extending his hand to her. It's the most attractive boy in all of Panem, the one she'd fallen for five years ago. His perfect tanned face, every strand of his golden brown hair, his soft smile, every detail of him as delectable as they advertise him. "So you're who they call Finnick?" Annie quips, falling back into reality.

"I am. And you're Annie?" he returns, circling the girl.

"Well, I suppose I am. My name is Annalea, really, but they call me-" and he hushes her, pressing a soft, warm finger to her lips. She smiles and places her finger on his lips. He raises his eyebrows and she follows suit. Then she cracks, laughing a pretty, soft laugh like he thought she would. He's watching her, trying to contain his own laugh behind flawless white teeth.

That night, when the sun's gone and they're sure of it, when only the last slivers of dusk light are brightening the horizon, they lay by the low tide making idle conversation. Sometimes the gentle ocean spray hits them, cooling them.

"Do you want to kiss me?" Annie ventures.

"Annie Cresta, of course I want to kiss you. You are the most beautiful girl I have ever laid my eyes on, and your personality is ten times more gorgeous." He turns towards her. Her eyes wander out past the ocean, watching the light fall on the water for one last minute. Two of his fingers fall on her cheek, turning her face towards his.

She's the one to press her lips to his but he's the one to pull her closer. It feels right, even though both of them are out past curfew and Finnick isn't allowed to lay a finger on any District Four girls until he turns twenty-one.

"Finnick Odair, I have been in love with you since the moment I laid eyes on you. You were so irrefutably gorgeous when they showed you on television. I didn't think you were real. But you are. And you're the most amazing person I have ever seen. I love you." How she lets herself get attached to him she doesn't know but he is breathtakingly gorgeous and she is so desperately in love with Finnick Ellt Odair.

"Annie Cresta, I bet you anything I love you a million times more." For him it isn't the same story but Annie Cresta is a pretty face with a smile that lights up her eyes. Her eyes are the same color as the sea. And Finnick Odair is so desperately in love with Annie Cresta. How it happened doesn't matter. Only she matters to him now.

_The twelfth night Finnick proved his love to her- _**ii**

"Finnick Odair, I am so in love with you it hurts," Annie says upon greeting him one night when the curfew bell's just rang. Her smile is soft but bright in the pale moonlight. "Doesn't the moon look nice tonight?"

He smiles right at her. "The moon looks," he says, taking her hand, "absolutely lovely." He places his lips on the back of her hand, letting them linger there for a moment. He places her hand in his and walks her across the sand, letting cool sea water wash up against their ankles.

She stops him and takes both of his hands, swinging them back and forth. In a moment his arms are around her neck and hers are on his waist in her own gentle way. One hand comes off of her neck and twirls a lock of red-brown hair around his finger.

Again she's the one to place her lips on his, but she's the one, this time, to pull him as close as she can and breathe into his neck words that he wants to hear, like, "I love you to death," and, "Stay with me forever and ever and ever."

They fall to the sand laughing and kissing, piled atop each other. She lays in the sand, clutching his hand. "You," she whispers, poking his chest, "are the most amazing person I have ever met."

He pushes a piece of hair behind her ear and says, "Darling Annie." He places his lips on her neck, briefly. "Will you do me a quick little favor?"

She raises her eyebrows inquisitively. "Anything for my _ever_-so-handsome lover," she says dramatically, putting her hand to her forehead.

In an expert move Finnick rolls to one knee. "Annie Cresta, will you marry me?"

Tears plop onto her cheeks as she shakes her head. "Finnick, Finnick, this isn't happening."

His hopeful smile fades as he realizes that she isn't ready. "Of course I will! Finnick Odair, of course I will marry you!" She wipes tears from her eyes as she climbs to her feet.

That night he holds her in his arms and he doesn't let go.

_She wore the same dress she wore that night- _**iii**

Wedding music plays from a pair of fiddles as Annie's older brother stands beside her the whole way down the aisle. Finnick's dressed in a cream-colored tuxedo to match her elegant dress. "You look quite handsome," she whispers, extending her hand.

"You look quite gorgeous," he whispers back, kissing her glove.

"Finnick Odair, do you take this woman, Annie Cresta, to be your wife?"

"I do," he says, smiling subtly at his fiancee.

"Annie Cresta, do you take this man, Finnick Odair, to be your husband?"

"I do," she says, barely audible, glancing at her fiancee.

"I now pronounce you man and wife!"

Annie Odair smiles warmly at her husband, and Finnick places his lips gently on hers.

"Finnick Odair, I love you so much." Tears cascade down her cheeks, falling on the floor.

"Annie Odair, I will love you for as long as the world goes on. Before I met you I'd never felt so alive, so free. I love you!"

Annie always knew she'd loved him.


End file.
